Six charged with stealing unemployment benefits

Six Western Washington residents accused of bilking the unemployment system out of thousands of dollars now face federal charges.

The charges, made public Tuesday, allege the six defendants separately defrauded the system. Each is alleged to have made off with $14,000 to $78,000 gained through fraud.

Identified during a U.S. Department of Labor and state Employment Security Department investigation, the defendants are accused of a variety of frauds all aimed at garnering undeserved unemployment benefits.

“For so many people and families, unemployment benefits have kept a roof over their heads and food on the table. Cheaters, such as these defendants, reduce the safety net for those who truly need it,” U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan said in a statement announcing the charges.

Federal prosecutors have charged the following individuals:

Kimberlynn Chandler, a 42-year-old Tacoma resident accused of claiming she was unemployed for nearly a year when she was actually working for Hawaiian Airlines. She is alleged to have collected $26,000 illegally.

Paul Ryan Shipley, a 36-year-old Lake Stevens man accused in a variety of related frauds. Specifically, prosecutors claim Shipley collected $78,000 in benefits under two Social Security numbers while working.

Roderick Payne, a 36-year-old Tacoma resident accused of collecting $28,200 in unemployment while working as a valet in Bellevue.

Sara Propernick, a 27-year-old Auburn resident accused of using her jailed boyfriend’s name and social security number to collect unemployment while he was incarcerated. Prosecutors claim she collected $21,000 in undeserved benefits.

Daniel Sandoval, a 26-year-old resident of Aguanga, Calif., alleged to have wrongly claimed $39,871 in unemployment benefits for more than two years while living in Washington.

Fio Fio, Jr., a 36-year-old Tacoma resident accused of collecting $15,000 in underserved benefits. Prosecutors contend Fio continued to defraud the system even after he was banned from collecting unemployment following an audit.

Several of the defendants remain at large. Two are expected to appear in U.S. District Court in early June.